News

Beauty queen accused of throwing bombs resigns title

(Reuters) – A Utah beauty queen accused along with three friends of throwing homemade bombs in a Salt Lake City suburb resigned her Miss Riverton title on Tuesday, according to a statement posted on the city’s website.

In the statement, city officials said they had been informed by the director of the Miss Riverton Pageant that Kendra Gill, 18, had resigned her position effective that day.

“Prior to the alleged incidents of August 2, 2013, Kendra had done a good job during the short time she served as Miss Riverton,” the statement said.

Gill, crowned Miss Riverton in June, and three other 18-year-olds were arrested earlier this month following a bomb-throwing spree that began the evening of August 2 and was aimed at people and property in Riverton neighborhoods.

The bombs were constructed from household chemicals, aluminum foil and plastic water bottles, arrest records show.

When questioned by police, one of the teens said he had spent the evening “‘pranking’ with fireworks with friends,” according to booking documents.

They were charged on Friday with four counts each of felony bomb possession, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Gill’s attorney, Walter Bugden, could not be reached for comment late Tuesday evening and officials with the Miss Utah Scholarship Pageant did not respond to a request for comment.